The author of the critically acclaimed national bestseller Don't Know Much About History now takes us on a fascinating, breathtaking and hilarious grand tour of the planet Earth, opening our eyes and imaginations to a wide, wild, and wonderful world we never knew

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of the world's continents. Puzzle pieces representing the continents can be dragged onto their proper places on the map. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose Antarctica under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of the world. Puzzle pieces representing geographical features can be dragged onto their proper places on the map. You can play with or without a timer. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Nick Sullivan, author of The Seventh Princess, presents the free African Geography Tutor, one of the programs that first inspired Doctor Brain to create the Laboratory. Even if you've always been...ahem..."geographically challenged," this tutorial/game can teach you the name and location of African countries and their capitals in a flash. A map to explore, and two types of quizzes to test your knowledge. Great for adults and kids, too.

A British writer and photojournalist brings to light Africa's geology and evolution, geography and climates, peoples and ways of life, in a book splendid in its wealth of information and breathtaking in scope

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of the African continent. Puzzle pieces representing African countries can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without country outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their countries' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose Madagascar under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of Africa.

A stunning and unforgettable journey to the summit of Mt. Everest. Photos, text, animations, and lots of interactivity as you follow a team from base camp to summit and share their adventures, sorrows, and eventual triumph.

Tip: Click the link "Interactive Tour" in the top center area of the page linked above to begin the tour.

Tip: There's more than meets the eye on most pages, so watch for the "More ->" arrow to get the most out of this amazing tour.

In May 1996, two expeditions attempted to climb the highest mountain in the world, but things went terribly wrong. Alone and climbing blind, expedition guide Anatoli Boukreev brought climbers back from the edge of certain death

China's political experience, the richness of its exotic culture, and the drama of its economic unfolding are the hallmarks of this short but sweeping history depicting the country's peoples, rulers, and society - 10 maps

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of the Asian continent. Puzzle pieces representing Asian countries can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without country outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their countries' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose Mongolia under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of Asia.

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of Australasia. Puzzle pieces representing Australia and southeast Asian countries can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without state and country outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their states' and countries' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose New Zealand under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of Canada. Puzzle pieces representing Canadian provinces can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without provincial outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their provinces' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose Prince Edward Island under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of Canada.

Nick Sullivan, author of The Seventh Princess, presents the free European Geography Tutor, one of the programs that first inspired Doctor Brain to create the Laboratory. Even if you've always been...ahem..."geographically challenged," this tutorial/game can teach you the name and location of 39 European countries in as little as 30 minutes. A map to explore, and two types of quizzes to test your knowledge. Great for adults and kids, too.

Bill Bryson backpacked across Europe in the early seventies in search of enlightenment, beer, and women. Twenty years later he decided to retrace the journey he undertook in the halcyon days of his youth

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of Europe. Puzzle pieces representing European countries can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without country outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their countries' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose the Ukraine under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of Europe.

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of the Middle East. Puzzle pieces representing Middle Eastern countries can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without country outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their countries' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose Qatar under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of the Middle East.

Anne Caulfield got to know the Mid East during her relationship with a Bedouin man while on assignment for the BBC. She offers fascinating insights, from the traditional tent life of nomadic tribes to tight-woven Western myths about the Arab world

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of the South American continent. Puzzle pieces representing South American countries can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without country outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their countries' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose Parguay under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of South America.

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of Central America. Puzzle pieces representing Central American countries can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without country outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their countries' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose Costa Rica under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of Central America.

Nick Sullivan, author of The Seventh Princess, presents the free U.S. Geography Tutor, one of the programs that first inspired Doctor Brain to create the Laboratory. Even if you've always been...ahem..."geographically challenged," this tutorial/game can teach you the name and location of all 50 states in a flash. A map to explore, and two types of quizzes to test your knowledge. Great for adults and kids, too.

Don't let the cartoony look of this site fool you, the GeoNet quizzes at the "Hard" level will challenge most adults' geographical knowledge. All quizzes are on the U.S., with four regions and six categories to a region. Can you beat Dr. Brain's score of 4175 in the West?

Tip: At the top right of the window is a link to useful reference maps of the U.S.

For 75 years, Route 66 has been the highway of dreams, and this bestselling guide--first published in 1990--has sparked an unprecedented revival of the forgotten towns, diners, and motels along the route

A comprehensive road trip guide, updated with additional coverage on the Appalachian Trail route, the Coastal East Coast route, and more general information and survival guides for over two dozen cities. Includes photos, fun graphics, and maps

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of the United States. Puzzle pieces representing states can be dragged onto their proper places on the map, with or without state outlines as hints, and the capitals can be placed into their states' borders, with or without map hints. You can also play with or without a timer. "Better than a wooden map puzzle," claims the site; "With this game you can't lose Massachusetts under the couch." Dr. Brain agrees. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of the U.S.

"Geography is spatial – so why not learn it spatially?" Why not, indeed? There are several ways to play this learning game, based on a blank puzzle of the United States. Puzzle pieces representing geographical features can be dragged onto their proper places on the map. You can play with or without a timer. Designed for kids, but easy enough for adults, too.

Tip: Go to this page and scroll down to find a link to an interactive map of the U.S.